Max, Meet Your Sexist Self
by Shatchi
Summary: There's the Flock we know, but what if there's another? One like ours, only not.In fact,the only difference is a few chromosomes.Changes beginning with Y not X. Yes,Max will meet Max,if she were a he. And he won't leave her alone,especially with Itex back
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is a story idea that I hadn't seen before and it seemed like a fun one. Enjoy, please.**

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**Chapter 1**

**Max POV**

"Land here, we're close to the river." We were over a pretty dense forest, and it was getting denser, I didn't want it to get to the point where we couldn't fly out if we needed to.

We were able to find a clear patch of about ten feet where Iggy could work his magic. We would sleep in the trees, again.

While everyone got settled Iggy came over to me, somehow managing to stop right before he would have rammed into me.

"Gasman and I are going to go get firewood, we'll be back in a bit," he said, basically translating into: We're going to go blow up half the forest and get firewood on our way back if it hasn't burned already.

"Sure, make sure no one sees you. You'll have to tell me the results later," I said, and he nodded.

Iggy and the Gasman left, I could see Fang lounging in his newly claimed tree branch, while Nudge was chattering off someone's ear, probably Angel. Glancing over proved my theory correct. There sat Angel, looking thoroughly…upset? What was Nudge talking about?

"…And then I was like, oh, my God. I mean, how many times do you get some really cute guy come up to you and start talking to you, for no reason. Especially since we're on the run an all. Do you ever wonder if Max, Fang or Iggy want that? I mean, we all no how Iggy is about girls, but Fang's so quiet you can never really figure out what he wants. And Max is always so focused. Ooh, but you're a mind reader so you probably know!" This seemed like a good time to intervene.

"Hey Nudge! Iggy and Gazzy went to get firewood, why don't you see if they need anything," I said, giving her a look that said go or I'll throw you out with them. She humphed, but went.

I scooted over to sit next to Angel. "What's wrong?" She pouted, making her look like an even more like a cute little six-year old.

"I can't make sense of it. It's too complicated. Everyone's is," she said, the pout coming out in her voice.

"What do you mean?"

"You're thoughts! Everybody's thoughts are so confusing. It's like I'm in a crowd, but I can only hear you guys. You are the crowd. But it's like there's more than one of you," she wailed, turning and burying into me.

I put an arm around her, cooing softly, like a bird, how ironic. "Shh, it's okay. Most people do think more than one thought at a time. And we're 2 percent bird, so no surprise there."

"It's never happened before," she said quietly. "But that's not the worst part. The worst part is I can hear my own thoughts echoing back to me. And some of those thoughts, were thoughts I never thought." Okay, setting off major red lights, red flags, red alarms.

"Maybe there are some other campers out there. People do camp for fun. People who aren't on the run. I'm sure it's confusing when you think it's just us. Don't worry about it, just let us know if any Erasers show up." I nudged her head to look up. She still looked so confused. I smiled reassuringly, and she returned it weakly.

I took my arm back and she sat up taking a deep breath, muttering a thanks. I patted her head as I stood up. Fang was still on the branch. I took a running jump, snapped out my wings, and landed neatly by his head.

He opened his eyes and looked up seeing from my expression that we needed to talk. He sat up and repositioned himself so his back was against the trunk. I sat down across from him smirking.

"Day-dreaming, Fang?"

Fang rolled his eyes, "What's up?"

"Angel says she's hearing more than one of us. Still us, but like there's a crowd of us."

He nodded smoothly. "I heard. Do you think it's clones?"

I grimaced. "I don't think so. They'd think different then us, right?"

"You got any better ideas?" He asked scowling.

"Did I say it wasn't?" I snapped back so we were having an all out scowling contest, which I, of course, won.

We sat in silence for a while, enjoying the company of someone who doesn't want you dead. You could hear the river in the distance, and I wondered if our clones were out there, or if they really were just other campers.

"Do you ever feel like we're missing something? Something important, but you just can't figure out what it is?" Fang asked suddenly.

"Like a normal life? Or, like, a girl type of important?" I teased.

"I don't know, that's the thing. I just know it's not ther-"

"Max! _Max!_ Ma-ax! Iggy says he wants water! He needs it to boil that chicken that we got from that nice lady! You know, the one he kissed while we were stealing her-"

"Yes, Nudge, I know the one," I said, trying not to get too irritated. "I'll go get the water." I lowered my voice and turned back to Fang. "You're in charge, don't let Nudge kill Angel. There's a river I saw right by here, so I shouldn't be too long. If I'm not back in thirty minutes, look for me. If you can't find me, get the flock and go."

I had grabbed our bucket and was back in the sky before I could see him nod.

Five minutes later I had landed and was casually walking to the river. Me? A flying mutant bird kid who could bash your skull in for looking at me in a way I don't like? Pssh, no way.

Surprisingly, there was already someone there. A girl. A very pretty girl, with dirty blond hair and nicely athletic body. She had her back to me, but I could see the muscles on her, not in a bad way, more in a way that would make anyone think twice about attacking her. She was also covered in dirt and wearing what looked like an extremely beat up old T-shirt and a pair of jeans.

I guess Angel was just hearing other campers after all. So, briefly thinking of what Nudge had said earlier and, being a guy, I did what comes naturally, talk to her and hope she doesn't run off.

"Hey, did you need any help?" I asked trying to be polite.

She dropped her bucket and jerked up so fast I had to double check and make sure there weren't wires attached to her back like a puppet. Her face was strong and confident, and her eyes had a hard edge to them that was hard to describe. It looked like something I'd see in my eyes.

She glanced me over and stood a bit taller. Definitely a good thing.

"No, I fine, thanks," she said briskly. Ouch, talk about harsh.

"Are you sure? We wouldn't want you to get hurt out here at night. That's when all the monsters come," I said.

"Oh, please, I'm what monsters have nightmares about," she said, picking up her bucket and bending down again. I wondered what she'd do if she met an Eraser or a Flyboy.

Something in the back of my head told me not to let her go. That she was important to my survival. That I needed her. No, it wasn't _the_ Voice, just a voice. I had to make her see that. Was this what Fang had been talking about?

"Really? You think you could fight off the big bad wolf? He's ten times scarier in real-life," I said bending down next to her, and filling my bucket up as well.

She snorted, "The big bad wolf couldn't even think to walk though the door of a brick house. Besides," she said standing up and taking her filled bucket with her. "I've met him, he's not so horrid."

I stood up too. "Hm…maybe he was too busy looking at how beautiful you are to really want to fight you. Or he was having a bad day," I said watching to see how she'd react to flirting. Either she didn't even notice, or she hid it very well.

"He was having a bad day by the time I was done with him." She started wading into the river, walking on the moss-covered rocks.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you!" I'd have flown, obviously, but with her here that wasn't exactly an option. "You'll fall and I'll have to save your pretty drowning neck!"

"You know, as shocking as it may seem, I can actually take care of myself." She was halfway across now and hopping dangerously from rock to slippery rock. "So you can stop worry _your_ pretty little head." Did she just call my head pretty _and_ little? Just who does she think she is?

I set down my bucket; it could wait, and began following her over the river. "The name's Max, what's yours?"

She glanced back, a move that had me on my toes ready to jump in after her if she fell. "If I tell you, will you tell me why you're stalking me?" Well, that didn't mean I wasn't allowed to 'stalk her' as she put it.

"Sure."

"Max."

"What?"

"My name."

"What about it?"

"That is my name you idiot."

"You have got to be joking. It's a guy's name. It's short for something, right? Like, _Maxine_," I said. Maxine just didn't suit her, though, and surprisingly Max did. It fit her tom-boyishness well.

She was to the other side of the river by now and was scowling at me as if I was her new target practice and I wouldn't stay still. Good, it's annoying when people just brush off insults. It's no fun.

"Ha, ha-no," she said, sarcastically. "It's just Max. Now stop following me."

"Ah, ah, ah," I said jumping onto the wet sand where she was standing. "You said I had to tell you why I was following you, not that I had to stop," Cornering her with her own words, I am brilliant.

"Really? Because I distinctly remember saying that you did." Dang, this girl could _lie_. And well too, I had to double-check my memory just in case.

"Nope, you didn't. Sorry," I said, not sorry at all. This meant I could still follow her. "But, because I'm a man of my word, I'll tell you why I'm following you."

She raised an eyebrow. "Okay, shoot, and make it fast, I'm on a dead-line."

The side of my mouth quirked and I took a step forward, smiling when she took an automatic step back. Did that mean she was afraid of me? I chuckled at the thought, and took another step. She didn't back away this time, but she did straiten up, as if she would fight me. Right.

"Don't you feel it?" I asked, my voice barely audible over the river. "Don't you feel that connection? There's something between us." I took another step closer, so our chests were about three inches apart. I was a good three and a half inches taller than her, so she had to look up. I made sure my wings were pulled in as tight as they could.

I leaned down so I had to be uncomfortably close and whispered, "And I think you feel it too." I noticed her eyes were the same shade of brown mine were.

She leaned up so her nose touched mine and I could feel her breath on my face. That was easy. "You know what?" she whispered.

"What?"

"I think that you should go to a mental hospital." And with that she turned on her heel and marched off. I sighed and rolled my eyes, I guess I set that one up for myself.

I chased after her again running in front and blocking her path.

"Wait, just wait for a second," I reasoned.

"How about…no," she said trying to step around me.

"Please," I said, grabbing the sides of her face with both hands—which was quite soft for someone so…not—holding her still, and keeping eye contact.

_Who is this guy? _

What?

_What the heck does he think he's doing?_

I need her to stay here.

_I'm going to end up having to kill him if he doesn't let me go._

I can't let anything happen to her. What's going on?

_Fang is going to kill me if I don't get back in time and he finds out I was held up by a _guy_._

_Fang_ is going to kill her? She knows _Fang_, but not me?

_Are those his? Get _off_ me._

She dropped the bucket and ripped my hands off her soft skinned face. We just stood there, frozen. Our shoes getting soaked from the bucket spill. I listened, but there was nothing. Nothing but nothing. Just silence.

I tried to reach out with my mind, like I did every once in a while with Angel.

_Max…? Was that you?_

I waited for a reply in my head while I also watched her expression, but there was nothing from either end. I heaved a mental sigh. So is it only when I touch her? Why? Did I have a new power?

_I'm going to take it you're not Angel, right?_

I jumped at the sudden appearance of her voice in my head. I wonder if I'll ever get used to any of the many sentences that have to do with 'voice in my head'.

_No…how do you know Angel?_

I saw her eyebrows knit in confusion. She didn't say anything back, but I could see—and almost feel—the wheels in her head turning. I reached out with my mind, like I was going to say something, but stayed silent, listening.

…_Angel? How can I _not_ know Angel? She's my baby. Does he have an Angel too? A telepathic Angel? No way, that's just too coincidental. And that his name is Max, like mine, and he knows a telepathic Angel? Unless…_

And I felt it click the same time she did. It was another Angel. The same Angel, yet different. That's why Angel was so confused earlier, because there was another us that she kept hearing. And thoughts from her echoed back, that she never thought.

"Holy shit!" I said.

"Language!"

"Since when do I care about language?"

"Since when am I a guy?"

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"It's disgusting!"

"I'm standing right here, you know."

"That was the point of saying it out loud."

"You're a jerk you know that?"

"That's why they love me."

"Max!"

"Max!"

_Crap,_ we both thought, as two different dark figures took their place at a side of either one of us.

"Hey, Fang."

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**A/N: I know that was confusing, but don't worry, it was supposed to be. I wanted to see if you guys would pick up on the little differences. Like Iggy and the bombs, and Max was okay with it? If you can guess the others that came before I said that it was from a guys POV, I'll give you special dedications.**

** Obviously review, please. What writer doesn't want that? Please tell me what you think: That I should continue or if this is just a horrible story idea. Flames are welcome, whatever helps you sleep. **

**If you have any ideas that you have for this story, please go ahead and tell me. I may or may not use them, but I will definitely like to hear them. Thank you, whether or not you review, for reading. I hope you enjoyed.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Here you go, chapter 2. This is a pretty good sized chapter, so I hope you like that.**

**SporkFilledDeath345 gets special dedication for guessing one of the clues right. It was when Fang was asking Max (the guy) if he ever felt like something important was missing and Max said, "Like a normal life? Or like a girl type of important."**

**Another one was when Max was talking to Angel and he only put his arm around her after she curled up to him. Then, of course, the bombs.**

**IT'S OKAY TO BE CONFUSED! THIS IS A CONFUSING STORY, I MADE IT THAT WAY. AND YES, THE ONLY PERSON WHO CHANGED GENDERS IS MAX.**

**RubberDuckE.-As I just said, it's okay to be confused. Yes, both Fang's are guys. I'm glad you like my story, and thank-you for reviewing, it makes me feel good.**

**redroseinsanity-Thank you, thank you very much**

**wacky-I will.**

**kt-Thank-you for the awesome review, and the compliments, it makes me feel very good.**

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**Chapter 2**

**Max POV**

"_Max!"_

"_Max!"_

Crap,_ we thought together and two dark objects took their place at one of either of our sides._

"_Hey, Fang."_

I could see Fang with his jaw clenched staring at Max. The other Max. The other Fang was staring at me, looking me up and down, like I was a piece of meat. I could tell from the way his eyes were set that he was confused.

"Can I help you?" I asked scathingly. His eyes lurched back up to mine and narrowed dangerously.

"No," he said, trying to intimidate me. And failing.

"Hoo, I'm so scared," I said tauntingly.

We glowered at each other and out of the corner of my eye I could see my Fang—it's going to be so weird calling him that—flexing his jaw.

Other Fang broke off our contest and turned to the other Max.

"Sorry, I didn't know that you were—ah, busy." Other Fang was still looking at the other Max, but his smirk was all for me. I had already clenched my fist, but someone beat me to the punch. Almost literally.

Fang stepped forward sharply, nearly shoving me back as he widened the distance between the Max's.

"She's not a toy," Fang snarled.

Other Fang raised his eyebrows in mock astonishment. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know that she was _your_ toy." Thanks; you just walked off the plank for me.

Fang lunged at Other Fang, but Max—the other one, duh—pulled him out of the way just in time.

"Fang, stop," Max said commandingly, which changed to low and deadly. "Don't ever insult her," he hissed. "Any insults to her are from here on out taken as personal insults to me."

Other Fang matched Max's gaze, but didn't back down for a while. My Fang turned to look at me silently asking 'Did I miss something?'. I shrugged and gave him a look that said 'I have no freaking clue'. I could tell he was thinking almost exactly what I was. It may have even been the same words. _What the heck?_

_What? You don't like it when guys stick up for you?_

I expertly managed to not jump. I scowled.

_No, it makes me feel like I'm weak and like I have to go fix something so people don't think they have to stick up for me._

_But you didn't mind so much when it was him…_

The cool thing about talking telepathically, besides the fact that no one else can hear you, is that you can use pronouns all the time, and the other person will still know who your talking about.

_He's my best friend. He has some leeway._

_I _am_ you, remember?_

_Does that change the fact I just met you? No._

_So your saying you don't trust yourself with your own life?_

_Of course I do, idiot. But even if you technically are me, you're not me._

"Miss Maximum Ride, you are the strangest person I have ever met."

Both Fangs looked from Max to Max, trying to put the pieces together.

I rolled my eyes. This was going nowhere. It doesn't matter if we both have a flock, or that we're the same person. At least, it won't if he stays away from me. Simple as a cliché, right?

"Right, as long as I cooperate," he said grinning wickedly. "Just keep in mind I take orders just as much as you."

"Obviously, because you won't stop following me," I said. Then, ending our conversation, turned and walked away. I didn't need to see it to know that Fang was glaring at them with the all the power of the Roman Empire.

A few seconds later Fang appeared silently beside me. I know, shocking.

"You want to explain that, _Miss Maximum Ride_?" he asked.

"About as much as you want to hear it, which, trust me, isn't much," I said.

"Try me."

"You really don't want to hear it," I said. Why were people so insistent today? Max took up all my time talking to me; he must have taken up at least half an hour because that's how long I told Fang to wait. A half hour…that couldn't have been a half hour. So, why…? I stopped.

"Fang, why did you come to get me?"

He kept walking, and I had to jog to keep up with him. "Angel said something about clones, or copies, or something like that, of us. We saw mine, but I don't know about yours." Fang suddenly sped up his pace, and I was forcing my legs to keep up with him and still be walking. "That guy?"

"What?"

He stopped grabbing my elbow and bringing me to a jerking halt, within an six inches of his face. "Was it that guy?" He ground out.

"Congratulations we have a winner. You know, he caught on much faster than mine. It took mine a whole forty-five seconds." Max gave Fang a huge grin, which got daggers in response. Max stepped up next to us, so he was as close to us as we were to each other. Fang and I took a step back.

"Aw, c'mon. I thought we were having a nice family meeting. I just wanted to join in. I am family you know," he said flashing me a perfect smile.

"How about," I said, venom dripping sweetly off my words. "You go back to camp and live your sexist pig of a life, and we go back to saving the world. Does that sound alright with you? Good boy, now get back to your own camp."

Fang and I made eye contact and we started walking off in the same direction at the same time.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You don't honestly think I'm going to let you just walk away. I finally found someone as perfect as me. Well," Max said, thinking about it. "Almost as perfect as me."

"What are you talking about, you're a _guy_."

"My point exactly, Maxi. Guys are better, and stronger, and therefore dominant. Which brings us to a question. Who's leader in your flock?"

I snapped. Actually, I snapped--well, threw actually--him against a tree, and held my arm against his throat, using my other hand to pin his.

"You want to say that again?" I snarled right in his face. "My name is _Max_, not Maxi. I'm still leader, and I am so much more perfect than you could ever be, even in your dreams. I am so far out of your league, you don't even deserve me talking to you. Now, _go away._"

He seemed mildly surprised. Then he looked amused. "Well, you see, Maxi. We need a way to tell you from me. And I'm not going to be called Maxi, that's a girl's name." He gave me a smug smile and I narrowed my eyes. "You might want to let go. I sent Fang to go get the rest of the flock; they'll be here soon. And it won't be a good thing if they walk in on you holding me up against a tree." He smiled like a wild dog with its favorite food. "Not that I mind of course."

I made a sound of disgust, and spun back around to Fang.

"Come on, we're leaving," I said, leaving no room to argue.

We left once again, but Max just followed us. But before anything could be said, Other Fang showed up, with an Other Iggy, Other Nudge, Other Gasman, and Other Angel, all of whom (with the exception of Other Fang) were staring at Fang with an expression that looked exceptionally similar to awe, only to the extreme.

"Leave," I hissed viciously at Max. I was keeping my voice down, sort of.

All eyes turned to me, and I met them each equally. They were all staring at me, and only because I've known them their whole lives, I could see their confusion. They didn't know who I was, they didn't connect Max and me. They didn't click the same dirty blond hair, the same eyes, same skin look. I guess there really are a lot of differences between guys and girls. Physically, anyway.

I kept metting the same confused expression, even on Iggy's face, not recognizing the unfamiliar female voice older than Nudge.Until Angel.

One look at her face told me she knew exactly who I was. She had a slight smile on her face that said so. She knew, and she wasn't telling. She was studying me. Comparing me with Other Max. We really need to work out a way for us to tell each other apart.

"I told you so," said Max smugly. "I told you so, _Maxi_." I resisted a twitch.

"If you're going to mess with my name, use _my name_. Maximum. I got an idea! We'll call you Maximum and me Max!" I said in a sarcastically cheerful voice. "Now, that's all sorted out, _leave._"

He ignored the last part. "Maximum can be your name, because as I said before, Max is a boy's name. So, I being the boy, will graciously continue to take on the name Max. You can so elegantly take the name Maximum, which is neutral. Are we happy yet?"

"What part of leave do you not understand?" I asked exasperated.

"The no 's' part. Leaves, is the plural of leaf, and because it's plural, it-"

"Oh, shut-"

"Max!" a familiar voice shouted. Why is someone calling my name again? Who else is there?

I turned around just in time to have Angel collide into me—knocking the breath out of me in the process—wrapping her little arms around me neck and burying her face there. I caught her automatically.

"Angel, what the heck are you doing out of camp?" Iggy's going to die. After I kill Fang for leaving her with him in the first place.

She brought her head up to look at me with a horrified expression. "No! Don't kill Iggy! Then we won't have anything to eat! And you need Fang, because…you just do. You can't have a leader with no second in command!" I slit my eyes and set her down.

"Angel," I said dangerously, but playfully in my head. "Get your hind-parts back to camp now, or they will die." I could feel the sudden alarm in the air, and shifting to protect the two of them in the other flock. My Fang was watching me carefully, and I could feel amusement though Max and mine's new mental bond.

She stood a little taller, straitened her shoulders, and looked like she could go against Napoleon's army. With an expression seen on every kids face as some point in their life. You know, the one that says, _make me_.

I raised my eyebrows at her. I never turn down a challenge. I was about to charge when something small and blond whizzed by me, grabbed Angel's hand and together they ran. The Angel's looked back together for a second, before disappearing.

"ANGEL!" the Gasman yelled and began to stumble after her, I think he was held back, but I wouldn't know, I was already gone.

I followed the doubled tiny footsteps, in the sand and through my hearing. It was almost funny how amazingly similar they were. The distance from one foot to another, the size, and I could even hear the steps hit the ground together. The only difference was where holes were in the footprints.

Then they split, making a fork in the road. One going north-west, the other going north-east.

"No fair," I muttered into the air.

I chose left and poured on the speed. The tiny feet got closer, but they were harder to hear, because there was only one. They made a sharp right turn and my foot slid in the dirt I was going so fast, but I made it.

Then the footprints stopped.

I glanced at where they stopped, there were lots of footprints. I guess she turned around trying to decide where to go, but the never went anywhere.

I grinned, if she's in the air, I have so already won. As I was about to take off I heard a small giggle. Oh, she's good. She must have jumped, not flown. Clever little girl she is, but she couldn't keep quiet.

I prepared to take off, imagining in my head how I would catch her if she was in the air. Throw her off for a second, you know? I took a running start, leaped in the air, and promptly did a loop landing right behind the origin of the giggle.

She gasped and spun around, shock on her face. I scooped her up.

"Whose Angel are you?" I asked. I'm not kidding, they look freaking identical. I'm going to have to figure out a code so I know who from who.

"Yours," she said smiling sweetly. I looked at her skeptically.

"What's my favorite food?"

"Chocolate chip cookies."

"What name did you go by in Virginia?"

"Ariel."

"What guy did I have a date with?"

She looked at me shyly. "Sam."

I smiled back and trapped her in a hug, while whispering in her ear. "You're not my Angel."

I pulled back and looked at her gaping at me.

"How did you know? But, you did go out with Sam. Didn't you?" She looked hurt almost. And a little scared.

"Yeah, but Angel had said that I should go on more dates. You were shy about saying who I went on a date with." I gave her a devilish smile. "And now you are my prisoner. Tell me where she is, or else," I said, as if I would actually torture her.

"Never!" she said with a smile.

"Then I will force it out of you, my dear." And with that I attacked her. It's funny how much more cooperative the tickle monsters get as you age. They never did squat for me when I was younger, but they did Jeb's every whim. Evil little things that they are.

She squealed and squirmed, but kept her mouth shut. I tickled her more.

"Stop! Max, I'm right here! Let her go!"

I looked up. My Angel took one look at me and ran. One down, one to go.

I swung Other Angel around so she hit my back with an oof.

"Hang on tight, little prisoner," I said, and she wrapped her arms and legs around me with a vice grip. I was willing to bet she wouldn't come off if King Kong was pulling us apart. And off we went, following Angel through the trees.

Well, what was trees. The forest broke off into a canyon type thing. We were in the maze part, with walls rising up on either side of us.

My breath came in short little pants. Who'd have thought that running was harder with a six-year old on your back?

Bad part of canyon: No more footprints.

Good part of canyon: Echoing footsteps.

We had followed Angel through orange-brown colored walls and floors covered in dried dust for about five and a half minutes at ¾ speed—and slowing—with me breathing hard enough to keep a fire going in a fireplace. I could see Angel around 200 feet ahead of us trapped at a dead-end when it happened.

The walls started collapsing.

I thought it was just a few rocks falling at first. Then a few the size of my head came down beginning to separate Angel from us.

Angel was at the end where the walls had widened out again, but Other Angel and I were still back where the walls were narrow and looming over us with a gap of near 5 feet between them.

Bigger rocks started falling. Rocks that I couldn't catch even without a six-year old attached to me. Rocks big enough to break something if they hit me, and kill either Angel if they hit her.

"Angel!" I screamed. "Get out! Go back now! Don't stop!"

I saw her nod frantically before flying strait up to safety. There's one of us.

I gripped Other Angel's arm and pulled it free, she got the message and let go. I pulled around to the front of me. Without looking down at her I told her to hold on again, and again she wrapped her little arms and legs around me as if she were holding on for dear life. Which, actually, I guess she was.

I ran again. Trying to dodge the bigger rocks—well, any rocks, really—and keep the dust out of my eyes. Other Angel had pressed her face into my neck to keep it out, but it still got in my eyes trying to burn it out.

Half blind from dust and tears trying to get it out, in pain (darn that dust), trying to shield a little kid, and getting pelted by rocks ranging from the size of my pinky nail to the size of my fist, I decided I'd had better days as I ran toward where Angel had just taken off.

I also made a mental note to remember this every time Iggy does something really cool, like run out of a burning building. Or heck, even when he cooks, I'll remember this.

I could hear Angel making small sounds of pain as some of the rocks hit her at a speed helped by gravity. Neither one of us was going to last long if I didn't get out of here soon, but she was going to have some major bruises if she didn't get out of here _now_.

I unfurled my wings and wrapped them around her as a shield, covering her legs behind me and her body on my front. I was getting bruises anyway, what's a few more?

I leaned forward slightly, hiding her even more and forcing my legs to move faster, even though they were on fire. The air going in and out of my throat scratched and tore while my arms burnt from helping Angel stay up and feathers were being ripped out of my wings, plus my eyes had tears slowly falling out still trying to force out the scorching dust and force me into keeping them shut.

But I could feel Other Angel shaking in my arms and that kept me going; I could tell that she thought we weren't going to make it. She thought we were going to die, because I still had more than a hundred feet left before I could take off. But I never turn down a challenge.

The walls themselves had begun crumbling, with the ground beneath my feet cracking, rocks were tumbling all around us, but we had reached a part where the walls were wider on the ground and tilted so there was less room at the top. I had enough room to spread my wings down where we were, though.

I forced air in and out of my lungs, oxygenating my body, even though I felt like a dragon breathing fire. I mentally made the blurry shapes into my environment. I crouched and pleaded with my legs to give me enough jump to get into the air, and my wings shot out brushing either side of our stone entrapment at the same time I released my spring loaded legs pushing us forward, and incidentally getting us out of the way in time for a rock the size of me fell where we had been seconds ago.

My wings pushed us through the canyon at a speed that just might get us out in time. I couldn't use my super speed, because then I couldn't aim and it would be not only stupid, but also incredibly painful to run into a rock.

A part of each of the walls right across from each other started breaking apart at the same time. I gave two good pumps with my wings to give us speed—and I used my super speed for a second—and elevation, then just for fun, gave us a spin, before pulling my wings in solidly to my back.

As we fell and Other Angel held on even tighter to my already heaving chest. I could feel her racing heart through my own. I put my face into her shoulder and clutched her to me, trying to make her feel safe.

We went spinning through a space of what had to be two feet, if not less, at a speed that Superman would have been jealous of. Oh yeah, I am good.

I snapped out my wings again, and braked, barely avoiding a piece of collapsing wall in the process. I looked up through my stinging eyes. There was enough room that I could fly out now.

Angling us upward, I dodged, dipped, swerved, and spun to sweep past the rocks unscathed. We got to the top and shot out like a bullet right as the whole passage crumbled, burying itself where we should be. If we couldn't fly that is.

I laughed for a second, happy that we were safe. I had saved Angel, even if it was Other Angel.

Then my fatigue caught up to me, and I almost couldn't breathe.

We were thirty or so feet up in the air, and my wings were trying to glide us down safely. I barely registered that we were going too fast.

"Max!" Ten feet in the air. My name echoed in my head. How many times can you have you name called in one day? Maybe I'm imagining it this time. That would be nice, not having to answer.

"Max!" There it is again. Insistent aren't they? We hit the ground and my knees followed the canyons example and collapsed. I almost fell onto Other Angel, but shakily managed to stay up. Now that I was half-dead she felt really heavy.

"You can let go now," I whispered, my voice cracking. She slowly brought her head up and looked at my scratched up dirt covered face looking scared.

"Let's not do that again," she said. She was still holding on, but I didn't have the heart to tell her to let go again. I was sitting on my feet, which were quickly falling asleep.

I managed a weak smile. She was still hanging on to me tightly, and I gently pushed her off, keeping hold of one of her hands. She lay back on the dirt breathing shakily, and I lay down beside her, stroking her hand soothingly and panting. I was still smiling.

"Okay, we won't do that again."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**A/N: I know! I know! I'm sorry! It's been forever, but it's been really hectic I cannot even begin to explain. **

**This is my first year at a new school so I've been trying to get into the flow of things. And then I sort of got put in the school play (I have, like, six lines, but still) and I have to stay after school for about two hours, and so I get home at about 6:15-6:30. I am back! And I am continuing this story! It may take some time between updates, but do not fear! I have not truely abandoned you! And I will be shocked if any of you actually read this. If you do please tell me in a review.**

**Max POV (The dude, for every single of you who need clarification. Sorry, that sounded harsh.)**

"_Max!_" I yelled for the third time, and she still hadn't answered me yet. I had seen her landed too fast and her knees give way. I had watched as she put down Angel and lay beside her. And I had no idea if either of them had taken a lethal hit.

Her Fang was flying beside me, even though he wasn't the exact one I'd known my whole life, I could tell he was panicked. We both were, but I couldn't think about that, just know it was there.

I was trying to get an answer through our mental connection, because she wouldn't answer me out loud. Had she got a hit? What about Angel? Max had looked to have her pretty covered, but you never know. No answer.

In my uncertainty I forced my wings faster and smoothly jumped into hyper-drive. I was by them in an instant. It took a moment to land right going at that speed, but once I had, I could see the both of them just lying there.

Angel just looked scared. I would have been too if I were her, but Maximum Ride doesn't get scared. Not for himself—herself. I checked Angel over quickly. She was fine, a few cuts and bruises on her back, but that was nothing to what she'd had.

Max looked horrid. She was still gorgeous, but there was dirt caking her face, and there were a few tear trails from her eyes, and she was sucking in air like a fish—minus the face.

I was on my knees next to her and checking her over. I could feel my jerky movements in my panic. Panic, which was increased by the fact that she didn't seem to mind me checking her over. She didn't even open her eyes at first.

Fang landed and ran to us, sliding next to Max, hand already making sure everything was in place. His hands crossed over mine pushing them out of the way in their haste.

Max opened her eyes, but she didn't seem to be taking anything in. They were glazed over. She blinked and they got clearer.

"I'm fine," she said, and I felt her mental wince at the sound of her scratchy voice. She tried to brush us off. "Jus' a few bruises, nothing I haven't had before." She sounded so weak. Even in her head.

She took some more breaths and a few swallows and grabbed one of Fang's hands and one of mine. "Stop. I'm fine. I just need to relax for a bit. You can calm down." So she did realize Fang and mine's alarm.

"You know that stunt you just pulled?" Fang asked, his voice tight and strong compared to Max's. "You could have been _killed_."

She met his eyes, "I got us out. We're fine. And how many times have I been in a situation where I could have been killed? A hundred? A thousand? A _million_?"

"Too many."

"Isn't that pretty much the definition of our life? We've been in plenty; we'll be in more. What matters is that we're alive in the end. And we are. Now leave it." She ended on a command. She sat up, and only a small amount of pain in her head.

Relief hit me like a cool wave in summer. She was okay, perfectly okay. Okay enough to be issuing commands. Then rage boiled out. She had caused me all that worry for nothing. My heart had almost stopped beating, and she was _fine_. Why did she have to lie down, make it look like she was hurt.

She looked up at me, wary of the sudden burn through our connection.

"You couldn't have said that sooner?" I growled. "We were worrying our asses off, and you're just hunky-dory. We try to make sure you're okay, and you start giving us orders." I was getting myself worked up. "And now we can go back to camp, and tell about your fascinating hero story." I said sarcastically, and then snorted. "Right, like hell we are. You're going to stay right here, until I am convinced that you could walk into a hospital, and not get fussed over one bit. Fang, go back and tell them that she's _fine_."

I picked her up roughly by her upper arm. I began checking over her left arm and she yanked it away. Fang took a step towards me, flanking Max.

"Language. I said I'm fine. Fang, go. Take Angel, " she said, like she was trying to order me around. No way.

Fang hesitated, something that I wasn't used to, but he did as she said with a sharp nod. He was gone, my Angel with him.

I took a step closer to her, so I was towering over her. "I don't give a damn about language. You'll be fine when I say so." I grabbed her arm hard enough to hurt her. She tried to yank it back again, but I held on. "You're currently indisposed and I'm leader, so deal with it."

"The only severe injuries I'm going to have are the ones you're giving me," she said, using her whole body to pull back.

"Then stop fighting me!" I growled, gripping tighter.

"How am I not supposed to fight you?" she snarled. "You fight back when you're trapped. Ease up a bit would you?" She started using her other hand to try and loosen mine.

I really wasn't getting much checking over done with her struggling, and in the back of my mind I was wondering if I really was hurting her, but the ferocity of my panic melting into warm fury was enough to burn up any worries I had.

"What the fuck is the matter with you?" I gripped her so hard I was probably going to leave a bruise or two, but efficiently stopped her moving, although she did wince.

She glared at me and I felt myself falter just a bit. "For the last time, language!" She bent over and bit my arm, taking a chunk of flesh with her, causing me to shove her. She lost her balance and stumbled, but regained it in a moment. "I am not a member of your flock. You do not have claim over me and if you are not gone with your flock by dawn you will wish you'd never been born."

I looked her over, from the dust covering her to the wet trails where it was soaked on to a tear in her T-shirt at the shoulder where the skin was black beneath and her arms that took the bruises that should have been Angel's, would have been if she hadn't protected her and felt the dull aches of them in the back of my mind. My eyes played connect the dots between these, taking my anger away as they did so, making a pattern back to her dark, scorching, hateful eyes. She was me, I remembered, and she's just as brave and twice as caring.

I sighed. "I'm sorry."

"I don't care, leave."

"I don't think we met each other by accident," I said persuasively. "We need each other, the flock needs both of us. A strong and loving mother, and a father figure."

"Mine have that already," she said harshly. Shock went through my body, and I'm almost positive she felt it. "And Fang does just fine." I sucked in a hissing breath.

"I'm not leaving."

"We'll see about that," she said, a hint of a smug smile touching her features. With that she leapt in the air, spreading speckled wings 14 ft. across and when she turned I saw the addition bruises, all to keep an Angel who didn't even belong to her—yet—safe.

I shook my head. "Damn all women to hell," I muttered. But I was smiling. Or, at least, I was until I remembered what she said about Fang. _Her_ Fang. For some reason that set my teeth on edge.

I crouched and shot after her. Nothing was spoken throughout the flight and I grew steadily more wary of the fury and confidence emulating from the other side of our link. I tried to open up and get into her head to see what was going on in there, but she shoved me out.

We landed in the same fashion, perhaps with more grace from her and more flourish from me. We were just outside her camp, the orange glow of the fire illuminating our flocks showing worry etched onto every face save two, and elongating their shadows.

Maximum walked ahead of me by a pace and the tense silence cracked with the twig under her foot, and everyone was up in a second. We both gave everyone a once over, habit.

Our flocks were sitting separate, except our Angels which had been leaning on each other's shoulders while Gazzy sat protectively a foot or so away.

She and her Fang shared a glance causing him to stiffen. The confidence grew and so did the fury, but now it was glazed over with a feeling of security and protectiveness. My Fang (Ew.) gave me a questioning look and I gave a slight lift of my shoulders. Everyone else took in what they could waiting for the rest of the pieces to be set forward.

Maximum turned to me with a small smile on her face, flipped her hair back impatiently, crossed her arms, cocked her hips and said, "See the flocks? They don't mingle. Leave."

"No!" the cry came out, and surprisingly not from me, except I never squeak.

Angel—I think it was hers—charged stopping right in front of Maximum.

"No, Max! No! I like them, I like the Other Angel, please don't make them leave. I know we'd get along we just need to get used to each other first! Max, please…" Angel's bright blue eyes were shining as she pleaded, and all anyone could ever want was to make that face happy.

I was standing like a statue, and a glance told me the rest of my flock was too. No one ever disobeyed; it was an unwritten law in the flock. You did what I told you to and you did it without a word. Disloyalty was punished, we had cleared that up a long time ago, and not even Angel would say anything when I gave an answer. Only Fang was allowed to make suggestions, and that was in private.

But not Miss Maximum Ride. In the second she turned to look at Angel she had this aura of care and responsibility as every one of her features softened into a mask of love that I could never have matched in quite that way. I'm just not that motherly, what can I say, I'm a guy.

Yet even as I saw this I waited for her to strike her, to threaten her, but no.

She bent down next to Angel and reached out to stroke her face.

"I'm sorry Angel," she said softly, "But I'm not living with two of all of us. And someone will end up dead."

"Can't we give them chance? Isn't that what you did with Ari?" Angel said back, pleading and wailing. My breath caught, my younger brother? Didn't we leave him to expire? "Max, we need them. They need us. Do we hate ourselves so much we'll save the world even though it's full of horrible people, but we turn away another side of ourselves?"

"Angel, this isn't right, they can live their way. We have to live ours." Maximum's voice was stern, but calming.

"I thought everything was a test. Did you think that maybe this is too?" Angel pulled out the most beautiful, round Bambi eyes in mutant history. And I opened up my mind to see what Maximum was thinking about this just in time to hear Angel whisper in her head.

_You're thinking that none of us want our…Other. Did you ask? Please…_

"Listen to her, Maximum," I said softly.

She shot an exasperated look. "You sound like the Voice."

We all waited in silence for the cue to remain silent or argue. I was once again barred from Maximum's mind.

Maximum sighed, kissed Angel's forehead and stood. "We'll give them a day. After a day, we'll put it to a vote, for both sides, who wants all of us to stay together as one big group. But," she said, a growl coming into her voice as she turned her eyes on me, "Neither Max is in charge of the Other flock, unless that flock's Max says so."

Her Fang lightly kicked her shoe with his, his eyes smoldering in loathing. She gave him a look that said '_wait_,' and he backed off.

My eyes flickered to my Fang, and we nodded. Behave.

The rest of my flock's eyes turned to me simultaneously, except Angel who stared a moment longer and Maximum with awe. I nodded to show my consent. I was much more than contented.

I turned to my Fang and Iggy. "Did you get everything from camp?" Nod, nod. "Good. Now, I don't know about you guys, but-"

"I'm hungry," said her Nudge.

I left my mouth open for a moment, no one interrupted me, but for once I let it go. She wasn't mine, and Maximum clearly didn't have enough discipline, but it was the way she runs things.

"Me too," said my Gazzy.

"I know, right? We got totally side tracked from food. I didn't even know we could do that." There's my good old rambling Nudge.

"Iggy," both Iggy's turned their heads to Maximum's Gasman. "Whoa. That's going to take some getting used to. Food?"

"Comin' up." "On it." They said together. They looked at each other, to their Max, to each other again, and burst out laughing. And soon everyone was rolling on the floor with tear streaks, except Maximum who was still standing, but clutching her side; her Fang, who had one side of his mouth lifted; my Fang, who was giving his signature snicker; and me, chuckling.

Finally we calmed down enough to breath, when a Gazzy (I'd lost track in the hilarity) said with a horror struck look, "Oh, no." And in the complete silence, the other Gazzy farted obviously, obtrusively and thunderously.

And this time, everyone was on the ground.

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**A/N: If you were a little confused about what exactly was going on in Max's (the girl's) head, don't worry I'll clear it up in the next chapter.**

**As always, please review and tell me how I did. And if you're really uber mad at me for not updating fast, or for something I did in the story, then you can tell me that too.**

**Oh, and tell me any grammar mistakes you find and where exactly they are since I didn't have time to read through it thoroughly. Thanks.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry, it wasn't up as fast as I had hoped. But my computer shut down for a while and I really couldn't do anything. It was really annoying. But anyway. I decided I would go ahead and put up what I had of this chapter, even though I had planned to have more. This is one of those, not much seems to happen but is a major part later, kind of chapters. And I also wanted to already have an idea of how to start the next chapter.**

**Enjoy!**

**P.S. I had one person (ONE) read the authors note. *Shakes head***

**Chapter 4**

**Max POV (The lovely female we all know and love…And aspire to be)**

"Max, can I talk to you?" the whisper came from behind my ear and almost made me jump.

I looked at him. "Sure, what's up?" His face was dark and serious—funny about that…—and a little scary.

He jerked his head upward.

We had all finished dinner after our laughing fit, and were sitting around in our little groups talking. Other Nudge was talking to my Iggy, who was listening patiently if maybe a little…ah, strained. My Nudge, my Angel, and Other Angel were sitting in a triangle playing a clap game one of them had looked up on the internet, while the two Gasman's sat crisscrossed looking perfectly identical listening to Iggy give them a lecture. I don't know what it was about, but it had a lot of expanding hand movements, and once I saw them curve like an hourglass. Fang had been off being Fang, which mostly focused around being on the computer. And lastly was Other Max and Other Fang who were speaking in low voices of unintelligible stuff about ten feet away from where I relaxed surveying everything.

I had closed my eyes allowing Fang to sneak up on me. Hence, where we are now.

I nodded and stood; Other Max and Other Fang looked over at me; Max with an intense curiosity, and Fang with a distanced wariness. A few of the rest of the flocks looked up too.

"Iggy," I called, "You're in charge of our flock." I shot a glance at Other Max.

_And don't you dare say a word to challenge it._

Max smiled and put on a look of mock innocence. _I'd never…_

_Don't. You. Dare._

He rolled his eyes. _Yeah, yeah._

I glared at him with narrowed eyes, but I let it go. My eyes, upon leaving Max, leapt back to Fangs and with unspoken word we jumped into the sky at the same time.

The wind gathered beneath us, lifting us up with our running start. There was nowhere necessary to be—the flock had two leaders at the moment, so we _should_ be good—and it was a beautiful night.

It was one of those nights with almost no clouds, but enough to hold in some of the heat from the day. The wind was still, and so were the clouds. The moon was strong, and the stars were endless, uncountable, and utterly breath taking. They had nothing to stop them showing off since we were far away from the cities, and the light pollution, and normal teenagers outside with their friends to try and forget their life for a moment. But I guess that's what we were doing.

The air was chilly, but not cold, more like enough to keep you awake.

We kept to the river trying out the tricks from the hawks, laughing when one of us would fumble or do it so ungracefully that we might as well have failed. Then we ended up playing a game of air tag—I so totally won—when Fang screwed up so bad I almost fell out of the air and he tried to knock me the rest of the way. It was so nice to just…play. When had Fang and I last done that? By ourselves? Even with the flock?

We had come to a calm part in the river—and the trees were thick as all get out in trunk size and density— when we came to one of the biggest trees so far, with a branch stuck out lopsidedly providing a bird-kid bench right over the river. A perfect view.

We sat, looking like a scene in a movie with the moon reflective off the cool water. It was relaxing and we were just enjoying the comfortable silence.

After a while I could feel Fang's eyes on me, looking me over and making the hairs on my neck stand up. I tried to ignore it; I didn't want to come back to reality just yet.

When it got to the point I was about to break, I met his eyes, "_What?_"

He looked away, saying nothing. I scowled but as I was about to continue, he spoke. "You didn't have those before."

"What?" I repeated confused.

Again, he said nothing, but he reached out and I let him gently take hold of my arm so gently it was as if he was holding the Queen's diamonds. He ran his finger over the bruises from the rocks. They varied in size—small, big, humongo—but they were all fairly the same shape.

Except for one.

One that fit against the shape of Fang's hand like a hand sliding into a print (without the indention). I saw Fang's jaw clench and his entire body stiffen as he matched it.

I suddenly noticed how quiet it was in my attempt to get away from my bruises. I swallowed and took a deep breath. "Look, -"

"Did he give these to you?" He asked through clenched teeth. There was one on the other side too. I let out my breath and Fang looked up at me piercingly. "Did. He. Give. These. To. You." Each word was a statement and a threat unto itself.

"What do you think?" I asked looking away to stare at the moon in the water.

"I think I'd like an answer," he said, his hand still on my arm, but adding no pressure despite his anger. Unlike Max.

I didn't answer, but he didn't need it, he knew, and he knew that I knew he knew.

"Why did you let them stay?" Fang's unemotional voice cut through the air, but it had a sense of shunned wariness. I looked at him curiously. "You were right in the first place."

"Maybe," I said, "Maybe not. When we left they were getting along. Maybe I was just going by what I wanted. I think we all need to be reminded of what's right. Maybe seeing us is what made Jeb save us."

"I thought this was a Maxocracy," he pointed out.

"Well, yeah," I said smiling, "But it's not a selfish Maxocracy. I'm not blind to reason."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Shut up."

We sat in silence for a while more. Until I realized that I wasn't just being paranoid before, there was no sound. No birds, no crickets, nothing but the river sloshing about like a tune you'd sing at Christmas.

I tensed, automatically going into panic mode. Was the flock okay? Had they been attacked like last time Fang and I were out? We need to get back there _now_. Oh, crap, we've been gone to long. This is why we don't play any more folks; apparently to some people taking candy from a baby and playtime from a kid are two different things.

Fang still had his hand resting on my bruise—he was stroking it now—and the instant I tensed up, I felt him do the same. We sat frozen, waiting for some sound, anything.

I heard a creak, but stayed still trying to listen harder without letting my attacker know that I know.

_Creeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeak._

Wait a second…. That's not the sound that's precedes death.

"JUMP!" I shouted. Fang did whether he wanted to or not, and as we leapt, the entire branch fell down into the blue water below us: _Crack! Bam! Pshh!_ Into the water.

Fang and I weren't even high enough yet to avoid the spray. We looked like dragonflies, our wings moving so fast they were blurred, beating away most of the mist from the river in spirals.

First thing to do: Get higher.

Fang and I pumped our wings soaring almost perfectly vertical. Going against gravity is not fun, kids. Caution: Do NOT try this at home.

We were around 15,000 ft. in the air when we made a sharp flip, having us fly temporarily upside-down.

Although I felt no bullets coming after us there was still a sense of unease throughout the forest. We flew toward camp, but a thought occurred to me. If they already had the flock, assuming they were there, they shouldn't have hesitated. Unless…

Unless they were planning on following us back to the flock, which I couldn't let happen. Not to my flock, and not to a flock I still have to learn about. Not because of me. And Fang and I could walk, which would make it easier to tell if we _were_ being followed, but harder _to be_ followed thanks to the canopy.

A warm current swept up from below, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up finalizing my decision. I dipped my left wing degrees, trying to make it seem like I wasn't trying to be overly discreet.

Fang's confusion melted over me from behind, but I didn't say a whisper to him yet. He still followed me.

I swooped up, and dived feeling like a mermaid. No, that's too girly, more like a killer whale breaking the surface then falling gracefully back into the ocean. I'll just pretend it was because of the draft and not because I was showing off.

We touched down in the pine needles, cones and leaves. Still, nothing moved. But it didn't have the aura of death this time. I unclenched my muscles; turning around I saw Fang do the same, looking at me like I said I was going to try for a Darwin award.

"Max?"

"Fang?" He gave a look.

"I think we were being followed, I didn't want to lead them to the flock," I said simply. "Flock_s_."

He nodded. "Wait here?"

If we stayed they might catch up to us, to follow us again, defeating the purpose. If we left right away and they were already here they'd just follow us, purpose defeated. If we stayed, they may make a sound. If we left right away, we might hear them following us. If we stayed, they'd get bored and kidnap us, not good. If we left, they could kidnap the flock—flocks—not good. On the other hand, if we left, but didn't go to the flock, we get the benefits of both. Theoretically.

Right, such a hard choice.

And off we went.

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**A/N: Please tell me if there are any grammar mistakes, I didn't read over it. Thanks. **

**PLEASE REVIEW. I UPDATED FASTER THAN LAST TIME. YOU OWE IT TO ME. Please?**

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	5. Chapter 5

28/06/2009 14:13:00

**Chapter 5**

**A/N: I AM SORRY I TOOK SO LONG TO UPDATE! I've had so much going on I've had no free time. I haven't even had time to read. I've also been in a terribly bad mood because I'm somewhat of an introvert and I have not had 3 consecutive hours to myself in months. Except when I'm sleeping.**

**But that doesn't count.**

**So here it finally is. I hope you like it!**

**THANK YOU TO...**

**13crazycheer13**

**mandyfur123**

**FOR REALLY MAKING ME GET OFF MY BUTT AND UPDATE BY REMINDING ME! THANK YOU SO MUCH! MY FANS THANK YOU TOO EVEN IF YOU CAN'T HEAR THEM.**

**P.S. Please do a grammar check for me?  
**

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Max (the boy) POV

I think I'm going to give myself a heart attack.

I took another deep, calming breath. Freaking out isn't going to help anyone. And Max wouldn't abandon her flock, even if she hates my guts. So even though it seems like they should have been back hours ago...guess what. They aren't. I don't know if something has happened to them. I don't know if Max ran off. I, Maximum Ride, don't know. And what's worse is the thought of what could be taking them so long...willing. What if they were, you know...like that. Max had said that her flock had mom and dad, and what if they...

I was going to be sick.

No, seriously.

"Max, take another one of those deep breaths," Fang said softly next to me. I had told him about the scene on the cliff. Let's just say he thought I might have come on a little strong physically. And upon reflection I think he might be right. But she didn't get how stupid it was. She didn't get how scared I was. I didn't mean to scare her I just meant to get it through her head. I'm not used to dealing with girls anyway.

I don't even know why I'm so worried. I know that Max can take care of herself. She doesn't need me to protect her. But...but I _wanted_ to. I wanted to be there. I wanted her to rely on me. To come to me to talk. Like she just had with Fang. I didn't want her at my beckon and call like a slave, but I wanted her to come if I asked. I wanted her to have faith in me. I wanted her to trust me. To trust me. I almost ached with the need of it. But I just f-ed up that one. At least for a while.

Was this what love was like?

"Everyone still alive? In one piece?" Max's falsely loft voice filtered through our little clearing. She glanced around. "Wonderful."

I had looked up. So had the rest of my flock. I never made such a blatant announcement to my arrival. They looked back down. My frustration picked up a bit, but I reminded my self that she was _not _a member of my flock (yet) and I _wanted_ her to trust me and to like me. This at least allowed me to sound human when I asked what took her so long. But the answer didn't come from her.

"None of your business." The soft snarl came from just behind her, as if her shadow had picked itself up and started talking. My eyes locked with her Fang's. The hostility was tangible, and I automatically matched it, my muscles tensed up and relaxed at the same time so I had a casual 'bite me' look.

Fang was standing inches behind Max, close enough that if he swayed he'd touch her. It wasn't an accident. He was..._protective_. Not just for reasons of dislike, he wasn't doing this because he just didn't like me, or the way I looked, he wasn't challenging me, he was making it crystal clear in the most primitive way, that he protected Max, that she was his to keep safe, and that I had threatened that. He wasn't picking a fight with me, he was telling me to stay away. In more than one way.

Fat chance.

Max turned around with a bewildered look and automatically put a restraining hand on his shoulder.

I smirked at Fang.

His eyes traveled up her arm from her hand on his shoulder, mine did too. Bruises covered her arms. Pride swelled, along with panic. What if she _had_ gotten hurt? But she didn't. My eyes roamed over their varying sizes, until they locked on one distinct shape. A very distinct shape of a hand, grabbing her with brutal force.

Did Fang? Anger burst inside me. I would kill him. Fang very calmly—insanely calmly—met my eyes. There was a reason Fang could always be so quiet. He didn't need to talk to tell you something sometimes. This was one of those times. And what he said was very clear. _I_ did it. I made that bruise. And I'd bet there would be one on the other side.

_No..._

Guilt swallowed anger. _I did that._ Acid filled my mouth. _I _did _that_. _Me. _Mother fucker! Goddamn! Shit! Fuck! _NO!_ Yeah I fucked that up pretty bad. Oh, shit. Oh, _fuck! _I swear on my half-brother's grave, I'll make it up. She'll trust me. I'll be good. I'll be everything she needs me to be. I _swear_. I won't mess up again. I _won't._

My mouth felt dry. I looked to the bruise and back up at Fang. He brushed past Max in a way that would have made me hit him if he did that to me. He walked past me and sat next to the tree that he was by before he left.

I looked at Max, feeling guilt well up in me again. No, it would be ok. I imagined Max sitting next to me talking about anything. She was leaning her back against me. I could stroke her hair. This is what I would make life like. I was starting to breath normally again. It would be ok.

I nodded my head next to me. She locked eyes with me. They were anything but friendly. I patted the spot of leaves next to me, just in case she didn't get the message. She still glared.

...

...

...

Max looked around the clearing with our flock and back to me. She gave a small shrug and walked very stiffly over. I smiled to myself. I wouldn't have come. I would have walked away without a backward glance. When she sat down the bruise was right next to me.

I couldn't say sorry, it just wasn't in my nature. And I just...couldn't. It wouldn't sound right anyway. Besides, people lie all the time. If she was going to trust me, I had to trust her. But how would she know I was telling the truth? How would she know how awfully, sickly sorry I was?

Uh...Duh, Max.

I tentatively reached out with my mind, like I do with Angel, but I didn't want either Angel hearing this, or rather, feeling this. Feeling for her felt a bit like sifting through murky water. Creepy and exciting and it takes all your concentration. And it took just the right amount of—there!

She felt me the instant I touched her, and jerked away. I saw her nostrils flare out of the corner of my eye.

"Please," I barely whispered. "Just wait."

I felt out again. It was easier this time. I brushed my consciousness with hers. She flinched but she didn't pull away completely. A kind of relived joy filled me.

I closed my eyes blocking out Iggy talking about bombs and women. The endless chatter of Nudge. Gazzys' wide eyed awe of Ig's stories. The Fangs. Angels. Everyone. I closed my eyes and shut out the world. I needed to concentrate really, really hard. And I need her Fang not to notice.

Mostly because I just don't like him.

I wrapped my mind in hers. Around it. I embraced her and I wouldn't be surprised if she cried brain rape. I was holding her mind as if I were making love to her. My analogy was met with disgust from her. I chuckled absent-mindedly. She couldn't move. She couldn't think anything without it coming through me, and I couldn't think anything without going through her. It was very interesting and I don't recommend it with someone who wants to rip your guts out.

I inhaled.

And as I exhaled I poured all the guilt, pain, trust, hope, worry, lust, want, pleading, need into her that I was feeling. She started choking in her mind. Flailing. Her eyes were shut too now, and she was about to start gasping. Shit! No, not what I meant to do. I stopped and she shuddered in her mind, pulling away. No...come back. Holding her there was almost heart breaking. She settled again, but she was much more tense. I cursed to myself again. Which she heard and scolded me for.

I tried again, but I started from earlier. On the cliff, my panic. Then of my anger. Each feeling I remember. She took that and digested it. Her feelings came up that she had felt at the time. Her pain, her anger. I digested that. I gave her the next part. And she gave me her side. The anger, the laughing, sitting around, and our protectiveness. Then we hit the part where she left with Fang.

I gave her my side. The worry I felt, and everything I thought she might have done. When I finished I waited for her side to show up. And waited. And waited. Nothing. I pushed into her, searching. Nothing.

She didn't want me to see it. It annoyed me but I let it pass. We moved on to the rest of the night.

When were done, she started to pull away. I delved into one last search for the missing part of her night.

No dice.

I opened my eyes; she was sitting perfectly relaxed. Not tense. Not worried. Not defensive. Calm. I closed my eyes again, searching some more. Was she reliving it and it just wasn't getting to me? I re-wrapped myself in and around her. It was hard to tell us apart anymore.

My heart sped up at being so close to her. She could feel her own heart heart beat against her knees that she had pulled up to rest her head on. It was in sync with mine, just at a slower tempo. Every other beat of mine was hers too. I smiled. She scoffed.

I still couldn't see what she had done with Fang. I looked. I couldn't find it. She wasn't letting me see it. Somehow, with us being so close, she was keeping that to herself. I found the little rock of consciousness that she refused to share. I pushed at it. Tugged on it. Smothered it. Nothing worked. She wasn't even trying that hard. I held onto her mind, frustrated. I looped myself in more, twining myself to her. Nothing.

I needed to—aha!

I made sure every part of me was touching her, and I repoured everything onto her. The anger of knowing she was hurt. The guilt from knowing it was me. The look in Fang's eyes. The panic of it all. The lust I felt anywhere near her. The need I felt for her. Worry, joy, thanks, pride, wonder, trust, hope, want, and begging. She choked in her mind. But she wouldn't show weakness on the outside now that she was more used to it. Inside she was consumed by it.

And for and instant, her little private rock burst open. Trust. All the trust I could ever want for me came flying out of that little rock. Peace. Happiness. _Affection._ Everything I wanted her to feel with me came bursting out of that little rock for just a moment. But it wasn't for me. It was for Fang. I saw her sitting with him on a tree branch over a river. He was stroking her arm where I bruised it. Caressing it lovingly. _Lovingly._ The word almost made me see red.

I felt her gasp and pull it back to herself. Still choking with my emotions, I was choking on hers.

_Affection._ She felt _affection_ for him. New emotions were thrown into the mix. Hate. I hated Fang. I had disliked him before, but I hated him now. I hated him because he had what I wanted. Jealousy. I wanted to have what he had. I hated him because he had it. And I hated him all the more because he deserved it. I _hated_ him.

We couldn't stand each other anymore. Not in this proximity. Not this intimate. She ripped and tore apart from me; I slashed and shred myself away from her. Our carefully put together master piece, crumbled.

And I don't know if this crossed your mind, because it sure didn't cross either of ours. When your entwined that closely, after spending so long to put together, you have to spend a long time taking it apart too. Otherwise it HURTS! Our thoughts were literally breaking in half from being pulled apart so suddenly. Our minds erupted in agony, a brain explosion all over again.

My eyes squeezed shut with the pain. I heard Max's intake of breath.

Then it was over. Just like that. I still felt a little shaken and shudders crawled up my spine.

We both sat there for a minute just breathing. I didn't want think about what had been inside that little rock and I tried very hard to forget the whole situation for the moment. It came back anyway. The flock played. Max and I recovered. No one noticed. I hope.

Did she feel so strongly for him? There was more in that little rock then there had been in most of the rest of the night. She had felt happy and calm and affectionate. But only affectionate. I felt affection, but I didn't necessarily feel love. They're generally synonymous, but she must feel affection for her whole flock. Did she even actually love him?

Which brought up the question: Did he love her? It sure looked like he was telling me to back off earlier, but that could have been just for the bruise. I pondered these for a while. My mind did eventually slip into other thoughts. Then to wonder what Max was thinking. Did she really forgive me? She was still angry I know that, but she had seemed to at least understand.

"Well, that was interesting," Max said very, very softly. She didn't sound kind, but she didn't sound hateful either.

Before I could say anything, she stood up. "Time for bed my guys. We're still flying tomorrow, and I don't want you guys falling asleep on me." They grumbled a bit, but went off, arranging where they would sleep.

"You too, guys." I said when a couple of my flock looked at me. It was earlier than our normal bed time.

Ten minutes later everyone was settled and happily dozing against, on top of, or around somebody else. Except for Max. I ambled over to her and started to sit down.

"I'll take watch with you," I said. I didn't know if I could take very long being around her just yet, but it seemed wrong.

"We both know how to take watch, just because we have a bigger group doesn't mean we need more watchers. It'll just be more people who are that much more tired in the morning."

"Yeah but one from each flock—"

"Just go to sleep," she said. She took a deep breath. "Please. I'll wake up one of the Fang's in a bit, unless your just _dying_ to have a turn." I watched her for a moment. I gave in, sighing. It wasn't worth it tonight.

"I'll take first watch tomorrow. Wake up my Fang." I left without giving her time to argue.

Laying down was calming. It was different to hear so many more people breathing than normal, and it was unsettling, but nice too.

I took a another deep, calming breath, and begun dozing into sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**I'm sorry I keep having massive fails at updating! I'm trying! I'm really working on it! Promise. Oy...these excuses are starting to sound old. I really truly am sorry though, I know what it's like to be kept waiting. This time my thanks goes to...**

**VampireWithWings()**

**So in my thanks I say...**

**thank you thank you thank you thankyou thankyouthankyouthankyou!!!!!!**

**

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**Max POV (Girl)**

"I'll take first watch tomorrow," Maximum said. "Wake up my Fang."

Yeah, right.

Max moved lithely to a spot on the leafy forest floor and lay down. In a few moments he was breathing peacefully.

Maximum Ride—what the heck am I supposed to do with him? It's hard to hate someone when you know their side, their intentions, their pains. And it's hard not to hate them when they bruise your arms and yell at you.

Flashbacks of the brain…meld…thing came back to me. I swear to God tears almost filled my eyes at the end of it. Tears are almost filling my eyes now. And did he have to act so…so hurt? Of course I trust Fang more than him. Fang's my best friend! And I've met Max 2. Any un-original me ain't really all that great and there is not enough room in the universe for more than one of me. I am _one_ of a kind.

So why is there another Maximum Ride here? In _my _vicinity? Answer: Unknown, return later.

I rubbed my arms from the crisp night. It hadn't been this cold earlier. The nighttime had brought the first chills of fall. I got up, went to my backpack, and retrieved my jacket.

When I returned, a rustle in the bushes caught my attention. I zoned in on it preparing to shout the alarm.

More rustling.

"Tweet, tweet, tweet!" A bird shot out of said bush and bulleted into the sky. Moments later it was tailed by another bird.

"Max? What was that?" I relaxed my frozen posture and tried to pretend Angel's sleepy voice didn't just scare the bejeezes out of me.

I turned and smiled sweetly at her. She had obviously been pressed up and tightly sandwiched between the other Angel and Gazzy, who was lying on his stomach and slung his arm and wing around the both of them. Disturbingly, I didn't actually know whose Angel was talking to me.

Angle giggled. "Yours. Our Gazzy still sleeps next to me. Gasgas is too macho for that." She made a face. "I don't get him sometimes. He thinks a lot of the same thoughts as Iggy does about older girls. It's gross. And it makes Angie sad. That's why I like my Gazzy best. Gasgas grew up too fast."

"Gasgas? Angie?" I said, trying not to choke—from laughter or…or whatever, I'm not really sure.

"Uh hmm," Angel hummed returning horizontal. "It's too confusing to call them both Gazzy. Or both of us Angel." And off to sleep she went.

Save me, it's infectious. Soon it'll be spread to _all_ of us. And something tells me Maximum will be thrilled about it. Ugh. Leadership sucks.

I shook my head violently, forced myself not to think about anything and watched the stars go round and round above me. Simple, blissful silence filled the air around me. When my eyes were drooping and the stars had moved along far enough that I didn't remember where they started out, I stumbled around to wake up Fang.

But which Fang?

I almost groaned out loud. I would've if I'd had the energy.

I didn't exactly say that I would wake up Maximum's Fang, did I? Nope. But it was implied. So? Who cares? I trust my flock more than his. I'm the one awake, it's my decision.

…But I won't be awake for long. And it _was_ implied. Plus, I would be murderous if I was in his place and his temper over-reacts more than mine, which is saying something. I rubbed my temples and remembered one of Jeb's rules. 'Decisions should never be made while compromised.'

Does being this tired count as compromised?

Yes, I thought as I consciously prevented myself from tipping to the left. I shuffled over to his Fang. How did I know it was his? Good question. I wouldn't if I didn't know for a fact that every day for the past fourteen years Fang had always slept somewhere close to me. With the exception of living in Jeb's house, never more than a few feet away. So the Fang sleeping in the tree was certainly not my Fang.

I balanced myself on the tree when I reached it. I should _not_ have let myself go this long. And last night too. Nudge had just started taking watches, and she got tired so early I took half of her and then mine. So long…. I didn't realize it, there was too much to mull over I didn't know it took so long…

…So tired…sleep.

I banged lightly on the tree, righted myself again, convinced myself I was 100% awake, let go of my balancing tree and was very happy when I didn't fall. Happy in a punch drunk sort of way. Crap.

"Fang," I whispered, my hands cupped around my mouth so the sound wouldn't travel except where I wanted.

My eyelids drooped. I forced them open just in time to see Other Fang appear before my eyes. Or flap silently down before my eyes. More like glided. Yeah, there was any actually flapping just holding them out…. Oh jeez.

"Maximum told me to wake you up. I'm crashing. Night." And I walked with the flat-footed determination of someone so drunk they have thirty fingers.

My lying down was more of a collapse. Luckily I was already in dreamland so it was almost like the leaves were two hands catching me.

Wait…

"Fuck," a familiar voice whispered above me. I shushed it automatically for swearing. "You shouldn't do this. Max'll be furious." Said hands laid me on the ground softly and vanished only to return with an already warm blanket. I tried not to recoil. The scent so similar and so different so…strange to me. So…strange…so…very…odd.

"Max," the voice whispered, right against my ear. I jerked, my awareness peaking before beginning to sink again and it was in this state of nigh awareness I heard most of what Fang said. "He's going nuts over this. You should have really seen what kind of a state he was in; he almost split his head trying not to think about you. He's not so bad, he just hasn't had much practice being caring. He's a guy. He grew up in a male environment where force is how we do things. But there's no lion you can't trick into being tamed if you use the right tactic. Think about that Max. Really think about it."

The voice left.

Soon after so did conscious thought.

Unconscious thought however, was plenty present. Through swirling dreams, and size changing pills, brain rape, conflict and harmony, and bittersweet agony. Round and round through tales we spin, happiness rests on a pin. And up and down through green and brown and ugly vomit colors and sick jokes and non-sensible made up songs and blurry images of nymphs in water and curses to Echo…echo…echo…echo…echo

…echo…echo…echo… " 'Ello?"

I was up in .03 seconds. By up, I mean standing up.

"Ahh!" Gasman said, falling on his butt from being startled by my effective, if a bit abrupt wake up. The other one, whosever it was, howled in shrieking child laughter.

"I told you!" he choked out. "I told you not to do that! Only Fang wakes her up."

I looked around, gathering my bearings. A navy blue blanket was crumpled at my feet, no pillow was anywhere near me. I don't recall needing one either. The Gasmen were up, so were the Fangs one Iggy, who was kicking people playfully awake as he made his way over to the backpack of pots we had, and Maximum.

Maximum's expression darkened at the mention of Fang and my grumbling brain struggled to make one plus one equal anything. Give up for the time being I yawned a giant cat's yawn and stretched, arching backward and listening to the satisfying pops that came with each released bone. Ahh….

My arms swung down, but not before the smell touched my nose. We needed showers and soon. No sooner had the thought crossed my mind than,

"Max! We need to go somewhere with hygiene. I. Feel. _Gross_." People in Canada heard Nudge's exclamation.

Maximum and I groaned at the same time. He caught my eye and the crinkles around his eyes gave him a wanna-be-smug smile that he was clearly holding in. I wrinkled my nose. I hadn't had breakfast; therefore it was too early to argue, unless it was with Jeb.

"Max, it's c-c-cold," a small voice shivered. Angel was wrapped up in her jacket and hugging it to her arms while shivering within it. What happened next forever enlightened my views of men versus women.

The Gasman who had previously been laughing on the ground stood up and began taking off his own jacket to hand to his sister.

"Here Angel, you can have mine."

"Suck it up!"

Silence followed.

My mouth hung open, probably swinging from the joint. Maximum had a sterile expression on his face usually only used by Fang. Iggy had turned from his path to stare with the same shock as me. Either Fang could have been chiseled out of ice. Nudge was stunned into total silence, all grossness forgotten.

Gazzy's hand turned into a fist around his held out jacket. The insulation scrunched in his tiny, muscled fingers. Shaking he brought it back to his side to face Gasgas.

"What did you say about my sister?" Gazzy growled. He farted too, but it was a bad time for morning funnies. Gasgas did, at least, have the brains to realize he made a grave mistake.

"Whatever," Angel said in a mimic of my voice. She took Gazzy's coat from him, put it on and wrapped her tiny arms around him, peaking her face out from his neck long enough to stick her tongue out at Gasgas.

But it wasn't Gazzy's furious reaction that mattered. It wasn't Angel's warmth that was the issue anymore. It barely had anything to do with them.

It was Angie. Hurt and betrayal twisted on her face and for once she wasn't the little girl more mature than normal for her age. She wasn't brave. She was diligently moving on. She was just another broken little girl, like any other girl who had been rejected by someone she loved.

If we, the flocks hadn't met this wouldn't have happened. Gasgas would have said suck it up and the rest of the flock would have ignored her. She wouldn't have seen how a family is supposed to work; she wouldn't have seen the complete contrast of caring and ignoring. Life would have gone on. Same as ours.

Time was frozen each of us locked in various stages of panic for various reasons.

Time started when Angie commenced.

Her child features twisted and turned and teeth bit into her lower lip, eyes squinting, hands shaking in lonely fists, tears pooling under bright blue innocent eyes of unjust pain.

"I'm sorry," Gasgas rushed. "I didn't mean—I didn't know—I mean"

Her involuntary wail cut him off. She could not have stopped it any easier than she could have stopped the Niagara Falls of her tears. It startled the still sleeping Nudge awake and the remaining Iggy into blind (literally) agony from the sound.

Gasgas started forward. "Please don't cry, please, please don't cry."

Angie shook her head and backed away, choking on breaths of air coming out. Gasgas stopped, not knowing what to do. Heck if I knew either.

Angie looked from him, to Maximum and his still stone expression. And from him to me, panicked, unsure, horrified, and useless all at the same time. Hot searing tears rolled down her cheeks and she just looked…lost.

She began sobbing. _Sobbing_. And with apparently no other escape route qualified enough, she barreled straight into my legs, almost knocking me over with the force.

She cried into my stomach. Heart-breaking, tear jerking sobs. Ugly crying. The kind where every time you gasp for air it makes a horrible sound, and every breath you expel breaks and cracks trying to go in and out at the same time.

I held her there softly. What else could I do? There was a child in pain clinging to me as a lifeline. I pulled her arms away gently, just enough so that I could pick her up and pull her into my arms. She clutched my neck and made a vice around my waist, mouth buried against my shoulder trying to quiet the sound through the fabric.

Standing there I observed each face. Mostly shock. Maximum seemed to be going number by the moment. The only real changes seemed to be the confusion and fright on the faces of the previously sleeping Iggy and Nudge; and the deadly fury seeping into the lines on Gazzy's face versus the horror seen on Angel's.

And click went my mind into focus.

My lip curled in disgust. "This is sick." I turned my head sharply to Fang. "Stay." With that, I turned on my heel and left. Footsteps came behind me and a hand touched my shoulder. Maximum stood there, holding out his jacket. His face no longer empty, pain, regret, loss, and over all too many emotions to really process and I was too full of anger to care what they said.

"Here," he whispered. I snatched wrapped it around Angie as a blanket and continued on.

Almost blind and crippled with rage I crashed into the woods for a good ten minutes before sitting down hard on the sticks and dead, browed leaves, crisp with dryness and sunlight. I rocked Angie back and forth, feeling my heart rip at each new sob.

"It's n-n-not f-fair," she whined. She coughed her throat too full. "Why are we s-s-s-so d-different? W-we f-f-feel. Just l-l-look at m-me." Her eyes blotched red, tears and a nose pink from the cold there wasn't really a better example. "Everyb-b-body's so m-much meaner in m-my f-f-f-f-f-flooooock." She broke into hysteric wailings again, sucking in and rasping out.

"I know, baby." It didn't really matter what I said right now. She needed love and care, something that _someone_ had obviously neglected in this child. I stoked her hair, rubbed my cheek against the fabric of Maximum's jacket where her shoulder was. She soaked my shoulder with salt-water and snot and I unfolded my wings, wrapping them around us. Slowly, eventually, finally she began to breath normal. I rubbed her back and promised not to move until she was ready. My mind strayed and I wondered to whom she usually went to when she was like this. It _must_ have been Maximum. Who else?

"Max never really held me. I guess I just learned from an early age not to cry," she whispered against my neck. "I don't remember being _held_. I was hugged sometimes. And sometimes he would sling an arm around me to make me feel better. Usually he showed caring by making sure I never had a scratch. And we just never had…had you. A female. Even if Fang or Iggy had been female that would have helped. But…" She sniffed against me. I didn't push her to talk anymore and she didn't say anything.

A long time passed and her breathing became rhythmic, slow, deep, and her crying stopped completely.

Bless the god/goddess/it for sleep.

I stood up slowly, trying not to rustle her too much. I began a slow march back. Mulling over everything I'd learned and inferred, I came to a rather obvious and intense realization:

I. Was. Pissed.

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**Pretty please review and tell me I haven't lost all my readers? Even though I'm a horrible, horrible person. I take death threats, even they make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.**

**-Shatchi  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**Max POV (the male)**

If my mind were being aired on public television, all you would hear was one long, continuous, monotone beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep. Hell, I was making up words.

Max marched out of our small clearing in all her furious feminine glory, which left everyone in a minor state of chaos, assuming we weren't in one before she left. We all just sort of stared after her for a while before anyone had the thought and energy combination to move.

And it had to be Fang, I thought sourly. My mind did another beeeeeeeep session.

"Iggy, food," was all he said. He gave everyone a look and they scurried off to do…something. It was like they all sprang into action at once, but it wasn't organized. The look, which wasn't given to me or _my_ flock, seemed to mean, 'Move, I don't care what or how, just do something.'

Five faces turned my direction. "Help them do…whatever they're doing," I said, plainly, stupidly, and rather unhelpfully and I really could give a rat's ass.

Behind me I heard her Fang and Iggy whispering.

"So, what, are you planning to keep her calmed down with food? Stall her? What?"

"Like we could?" Fang muttered back. I could almost feel him shake his head. "No, this is for the rest of us and Angie."

"Angie?"

"The other Max's Angel."

"This is so messed up, man."

I turned around. "So I'm just going to make a guess here," I seethed, startling Iggy; Fang didn't move. "That you share Max's feelings about our being here."

Iggy shrugged. "I don't care. Not my problem to deal with, and I don't envy either of you."

Fang didn't say anything, and he didn't have to. He felt exactly the same way about me that I felt about him, which I don't believe needs to be restated. The presence of a friendly Fang behind me gave me a bit of calmness. We glowered, but we really had nothing to say to each other, not now, not yet, but there would be a day.

A vast part of the morning went much the same as the beginning. No one spoke. No one argued (with the one exception when Gasgas tried to take the twigs from Angel so she wouldn't have to carry them. Funny how you do one thing to insult a women and every turn after that is wrong. Every freaking turn. All he wanted to do was be a gentleman! Sheesh. No, before it would have been sweet, now it's insulting, just to contribute to the ever-growing confusion of the XX gene.) Everybody just tried to stay as invisible from everybody else as possible. So we all kept busy. Upon retrospect it was almost ridiculous how bad it we were. It didn't matter. All that mattered was that we all knew Max was going to be hellfire roasted over when she got back.

Angel stopped half way up from putting down her twigs. "Max is coming back," she whispered. Her eyes flicked to mine and back. "It's even worse than we thought."

I image it looked somewhat like one of those movie scenes where everyone slowly turns their head in the direction of the horror, and we did so just before Max came through.

What I was expected, who knows. However, I was not expecting Max to walk calmly and slowly and seemingly uncaringly through the trees. It had to be a clone.

And yet, there was little Angie, clutched to chest, held there by bands of love alone it seemed. Angie slumped against Max, her breathing rhythmic.

Max walked to where Angie had spent the night and tucked her into the blankets, detaching herself from Angie's strong, tiny grip. I watched her do so lovingly and in a way that I knew—in a sickly way deep in my soul—that I had never done. I'd thrown her into bed, made her sleep, read her stories even, but I had never looked over her to make sure she was safe and comfortable, had never kissed her forehead good night. The failure of it, even when I knew I had no right to be made fury perk up deep and raw at myself and to some extent at Max for showing me how much of a total failure I had been for the whole flock.

Max stood up and met her Fang's gaze. He didn't seem to react at all, just take in Max and accept whatever she would do.

That was all the preparation I had.

Max turned around in all her feminine spitting fury, her eyes roaring silently. Oh, shit I was so screwed. The chords in Max's neck stuck out, forcing the skin to fold over it, and her hands were clenched so tight her knuckles were paper white.

She jerked her head behind me in a silent order to move before she started walking the direction. I let her pass me and followed her, giving Fang a quick note to take care of everything in case I never returned. Despite the situation I think he almost smiled.

We walked for a while. The trees were thick and the leaves blocked out much of the sun. Max, I'm sure, was preparing to give me a lecture. I, in defense, was preparing to touch her mind, fight, or get the fuck out of her way. When Max didn't stop for at least a mile, I started to get a tiny bit nervous—not a lot, I assure you, but enough that I was seriously starting to wonder about her mental state.

I reached out gently to touch her mind, and the moment I did I felt her shield make of iron. _Hot_ iron. I jerked back, singed. Apparently that last invasion was all it took to finally set her off.

Max whipped around and lunged at me.

I held my hand up in time to hit her in the chest, but she had more force and even though my arm kept her from lunging into me, it didn't stop her ability to knock me over. And knock me over she did.

Absolute survival mode took over, I wasn't stupid enough to think that she would hold back—she was a girl after my own heart, after all, and Max was beyond any type of normal human fury. The human was still there, but the animalistic instinct to protect and kill was in total control.

We rolled in the dirt, all the while her throwing punch after punch at me, and me deflecting. I almost wish I could watch; it had to be a hell of a fight. Max brought her knee up—I think to hit me in the groin—and I twisted my leg around to prevent it, but she was already trying an upper cut to my chin. I wrapped my arm around hers making it immobile and she arched back and rolled, slithering away from me.

The moment she was no longer touching me I tackled her and it began all over again. I'm not sure how long it went on, or who was winning. I knew I had punches in—but I don't know where or how hard some of them landed. She had gotten a few good ones in on me and I think I had a cracked rib—which hurt like bloody hell.

Somewhere in the middle of our tackle-fight-flee-tackle routine, something changed, the anger was gone and something new had settled. I wish I could say that it was sensual and that in the midst of our bodies being pressed together in all sorts of intricate ways that she had decided to give in to me and we went into a hot make out session—but that wasn't the case. When the anger had been released, and had then petered out, the atmosphere had moved to sorrow. Regret. Pain. And Max was no longer throwing punches at me—well she was, but they were all half-hearted.

I was pinning her down with my forearms along the ground inches away from her body. I was pressed up to her body part for body part, except where I lifted my torso and head away from her. Her eyes were swollen, one from a black eye and one from emotion. I suspect that the emotion was the same one that was causing tears to spew out of her eyes like faucets. I swear I have no idea when they started.

She still had her fists clenched and was pounding on my chest, but it was more in the way you would beat at a wall rather when you feel hopeless than in attempt to harm me. Her thumps got weaker and weaker and eventually she gave in to just all out sobbing beneath me.

And I had no fucking clue what to do.

…Like, really?

Her sobs came in gasps and came out as choking gurgles. I didn't even know what she was crying about. I know she was mad at me (duh) and I know it had to do with Angie (another duh) but I didn't know exactly what about it. I didn't think she knew that I had never done anything…motherly to Angie. It was rather obvious to see that my flock was much more…butch? It's always been much more of a take-care-of-yourself system. We love each other, really we do, but we don't do that mushy shit that girls get into. I never did it anyway; I just let the girls grow up the way they did on their own. So unless Angie told her…

I nearly _thunked_ my head on the ground beside Max. Duh.

And Max was still sobbing loudly beneath me. It sounded like she was trying to die. I flinched at the thought.

My insides did a few flips because she was in pain. And because I was the cause of it. And because whatever happened I did care about her. I hadn't dealt with someone crying since…since Jeb left.

I guess fate had decided it was time for me to relearn.

I cursed a few times for added measure—a little at the situation, a little a fate, a lot at myself—and curled my arms under her. She held the front of my shirt in a death grip and sobbed into my neck and shoulder. I didn't say anything, not to be polite, just because I couldn't think of anything to say. I thought about reaching into her mind, but I didn't want to set her off again like I had just before the fight, so I let that idea slide.

Endless, heart-wrenching, soul-crushing sobs gushed out of her. I rocked her from side to side. I think once I said I was sorry because I couldn't bear to listen any more. Women crying—especially ones who don't cry often—are unbearable to listen to. I was sure I was going to die like that; sure that I had already died and landed in hell.

When silence eventually became more prominent than the sobs, I released a breath of relief.

And then she started sobbing all over again.

"Oh, Jesus Christ, not again," I muttered, tightening my hold on her to make her feel more secure.

"Y-you-you _ruined_ her _life_," she stuttered. She shut her mouth to quiet herself and her chest did these weird little jerky movements that I'm sure looked strange, because they felt weird through my chest and I'm positive they felt weirder to Max. I tried to remember a time when I would have been in her place…but I couldn't think of any. Something in the back of my mine told me there was something wrong with that, and I reminded the back of my mind that I was a Maximum Ride and that he doesn't cry.

I rubbed her back, because that's what it felt like I should do. "Isn't that over reacting just a bit." She tried pushed me away—to glare at me I'm sure—but I held tight. This was my learning experience and damn it I was going to do it right. "Shhh. I'm not saying that I've made huge mistakes. Angie deserved more. Nudge deserved more. GasGas needed to be taught a lot. But I couldn't teach him those thing, Maxi, because I didn't learn them." Max took a breath to answer me and I cut her off. "Help me, Max. Help me teach them. Help me learn everything I've messed up on. They need you just as much as I do. Help me, Max."

She was still shaking under me, but she didn't answer. I didn't know what else to say, so I didn't bother.

"And here I thought you were under the impression that you were perfect," she said quietly.

"I am—mostly."

"Jerk." She punched my—broken—rib lightly and I grunted in pain. I answered through clenched teeth.

"That's one's already cracked, darlin'." She held up one of her fingers, which was crooked. Oops. I then felt obligated to inform her of her other injuries, so she wouldn't find out from the flock. "You got a shiner, too."

"I know," she growled. She brought her hands up and shoved. "We have to get back. I'm starved. I hate fights before breakfast." When I chuckled without moving she pushed harder and I got up, pulling her with me. I would have liked to hold her for a bit longer under the pretense of making sure she wasn't seriously injured, but Max would have none of it. She pushed of me as soon as we were vertical and proceeded to analyze through her injuries. I did the same. She looked up at me, I nodded and we headed back to camp.

"I know I messed up some of your beauty," I said teasingly arrogant, "but that was the best fight I've had in a very long time."

She looked at me out of the corner of her black eye. "Yeah, it could have been worse. I half expected that kicking your butt might be too easy cause I wasn't sure if you were actually going to fight me." She was quiet for a moment, thinking. "I'm glad you did."

I grinned in what I knew had to be a cocky, triumphant way, but I couldn't help it. "Who won?" I asked.

"Me."

"No way, I was on top."

"Ew. Silence yourself, please. I had a change of emotion half way through. Besides, you look worse than me." I examined myself, then her. Hot damn, she was right.

"You had anger motivation."

"Yup. I still won."

I made a sound of disgust and muttered to myself about females with an ego, for which I got punch in the arm.

"And you're right," she said. When I didn't say anything—because she had changed subjects and left me behind so I was giving her a blank stare that said 'duh, about what?' "You need my help. Or your flock does. Who knows what will happen to them if they don't get help." I thought about glaring, but decided I'd gotten what I wanted so it wasn't really necessary. I shrugged, whatever.

I coaxed her into teasing and playing with me the rest of the way back. There was still a tenseness around us that hadn't been eased by the fight, but that was okay. I'd broken some important walls, appealed to her female motherly side, gotten her to agree to stick around for a while—because whether she knew it or not that's what she had done—and that was a hell of a lot more progress than I had made previously. Though, I pulled myself back from getting too giddy. I did seem to be doing a routine where I take two steps forward one step back.

I had, however, done pretty well. I was almost happy when we arrived back at camp. At least I was until she made eye-contact with my Fang, passed over him and went to hers reminding me that he was still more important and still had more dibs than me on her for everything including that trust I wanted so badly.

Her Fang's eyes tightened, his nostrils flared and his fists clenched. Anger radiated from him and his glare was so ferocious that I almost held up my arm to shield my rib. Almost; it was still just Fang. It didn't seem to matter to him that I was more covered in bruises than she, but I don't think I would have cared either if I were him. He glance at Max and something—that stupid something that I couldn't get—passed between them. She shook her head and Fang pulled back. He'd obey. He wasn't happy, and I'd bet my pants he'd pull her away later to talk about it, but he'd obey.

I smirked to hide my simmering.

"Whoa," Nudge said, of course being the first one to talk. "That had to be one _h-e-l-l_ of a fight." It was most definitely my Nudge.

I grinned and nudged Max—just to tick of her Fang—and said, "You have no idea."

"That's great," Max said rolling her eyes and heading for the medical supplies. "Is food ready? I could eat a bird-kid." I tried very hard not to let my thoughts run away with that, because there were mind-reading children around.

Nudge was still gaping and repeated herself. "That _had_ to be one _hell_ of a _fight_."


End file.
